Cultivator



(No Model.)

W. S. MILLER.

GULTIVATOR. y

Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

YN: Nonms Parras on. Pnuaumo.. wmmsfo. n. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINFIELD soorr MILLER, oF MILPITAs, CALIFORNIA.

CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,108, dated October25, 1892.

Application filed May 3, 1892. Serial No. 431,683. `(No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, WINFIELD Soorr MIL- LER, of Milpitas, in the countyof Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cultivators; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and improved cultivator; and it has forits object the production of acheap, simple, and highlyefticientcultivator, in which the divergent beams can be readily adjusted and thecultivator-shovels constantly held in proper relation to the line ofdraft, and also to permit of the ready adjustment of the handle-bars, sothat they will be held out of contact with the vines or shrubs.

The invention comprises a cultivator having a central draft-bar and twodivergent beams pivotally connected at their forward ends to saiddraft-bar, adjustable connectingplates between said beams and draft-bar,and means for locking said connecting-plates.

The invention further comprises a cultivator having a central draft bar,divergent beams pivotally connected thereto, plates movable on saidbeams connected with and controlling the position of thecultivator-shoyels, adjustable connecting-plates between said beams andplates and draft-bar, and handles pivotally connected to saidconnecting-plates,

one of said handles carrying means for locking and unlocking saidconnecting-plates with said draft-bar.

The invention also comprises the detail, construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l'is a plan view of my improvedcultivator. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line ocFig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing Vthe connectionbetween the handle-bars and connecting-plate, and means for locking thelatter to the central drafbbar. Fig. 4L is a view, with parts in dottedlines, of a portion of the shovel-controlling plate with one of thecultivator-shovels connected therewith. Fig. 5 is a sectional view onthe line y y, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings,Adesignates the central draft-bar, whichextends longitudinally throughout the length of the cultivator and isprovided at its forward end with a caster-wheel a, whose supportingspindle or rodis adjustably connected to said draft-bar, so as toregulate the depth of penetration of the cultivator-shovels.

B B designate two divergent beams pivot ally connected at their forwardends by strapiroiis b to draft-bar A. openings in these beams are passedthe circular portions b of the shaiiks of cultivatorshovels C. Above thecircular portion of each shank the latter is reduced so as to form aneck b2, and above the latter the shank is made square in cross-section,as shown at b3, a flange or collar b4 being at the inner end of thesquared portion of said shank.

D D designate movable plates located on the upper surfaces of beams B,and they are provided with a series of slots d, which terminate at theirrear ends in circular openings d', which are designed to be coincidentwith the openings in beauis B. The shanks of the cultivator-shovels areinserted through these openings, which arecoincidentwhen thebeams areextended to their fullest extent, and the fiange or collar b4 of eachshank is designed to overlap the sides ofl the slots d. The squared endof each shank projects through a square hole or opening in the adjacentone of a series of holding-plates d2, pivotally con! nected to movableplates D by nuttedbolts cl3, projected through circular openings inplates D, and through slots d4 in said holdin g-plates. In this way thecultivator-shovels are held in fixed relation with .the movable plates,and are made to present the proper face to the line of draft.

E E designate two sets of connecting-plates between the divergent beamsand the central draft-bar, whereby the former can be adj usted inrelation to the latter. Each adjusting-plate comprises upper and lowercorresponding ineinbers e e', having inner iiattened ends provided withholes or openings e2, corresponding with holes or openings c3 indraft-bar A. The inner ends of the members of both locking-plates aredesigned to over- Through circularV lOO lll

lap, so that the holes or openings will be coincident, anda-hooked end fof alocking rod or lever F can be readily passed through said coincidentholes, said locking rod or lever being fulcrumedv on a rodf, passedthrough members e e. The upper members c have central curved or widenedportions f2, the outer edges of which have teeth f3 projectingtherefrom, with which teeth are designed t0 engage the inner ends ofspring-held pawlsg, mounted on handle-bars GG', which latter are pivotedat their inner ends to the center of the widened portions f2. The pawlsg are operated by hand-levers g', on handlebars G G', so that they canbe readily disengaged from contact with the teeth and the handlesadjusted in the desired direction. From the under side of eachhandle-bar projects a curved plate g2, which bears against the underside of the curved or widened portions f2, and serve as guides forsaidvhandlebars. lTo the handle-bar Gis fulcrumed alever G2, which at itslower forward end is pivotally connected to the free end of locking rodor lever F. Hence by operating this lever Gr2 the locking rod or lever Fcan be thrown into or out of engagement with the clampingplatesandcentral draft-bar, to permit of the adjustment of the divergentbeams. The outer ends of the upper members e of connecting-plates E andlikewise the outer ends of the lower members thereof are pivotallyconnected by nutted bolts h, passed through coincident holes orapertures in said ends and in the beams and movable plates thereon.Bayonet or L shaped slots h are also formed in the outer ends of theupper members e, and through these slots and slots h2 in widenedportions h3 of movable plates D are passed nutted bolts h4, which serveto permit of the adjustment of plates D.

From what has been said it will be seen that by moving the inner ends ofthe connecting-plates D back and forth the divergent beams can beadjusted to the desired pitch or angle, and at the same time the movableplates D will be made to move over said beam by reason of the connectionbetween said connecting plates and said movable plates, and the movementof these latter plates will, through the instrumentality of theholding-plates d2, effect the proper adj ustment of thecultivator-shovels, so that the latter will be in the line of draft.

The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the artto which it appertains, and it will be especially observed that by meansthereof the adjustment of the divergent beams carrying thecultivatorshovels can be readily and easily effected and that in theadjustment of the beams the cultivator-shovels themselves are adjusted.It will also be seen that the handle-bars can be readily adjusted andrigidly held in any desired position. It is obvious that if it bedesired to throw the earth away from instead of toward the plants orshrubs being cultivated the cultivator-shovels of one beam can betransferred to and take the, place of those of the other beam. To effectthis, it is only necessary to open the beams to their fullest extent,when the circular openings in the beams and movable plates will becoincident and the shanks of the shovels can be readily slipped out ofplace.

I claim as my inventionl. The herein described improved cultivator,comprising the draft-bar, the divergent beams pivotally connectedthereto at their forward ends, the movable plates on said beams, theshovels having their Shanks engaged by or connected with said movableplates, and the adjustable connecting-plates connecting said draft-barwith said divergent beams and movable plates, and means for locking saidconnecting-plates to said draftbar, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described improved cultivator, comprising the draft-bar,the divergent beams pivotally connected thereto at their forward endsand having holes or openings therein, the movable plates on said beamshaving slots therein, the cultivator-shovels having their shanksprojected through said holes or openings andslots, the holding-platesconnected to said Shanks, and means for adjusting said beams and movableplates with relation to said draft-bar, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described improved cultivator, comprising the draft-bar,the divergent beams pivotally connected thereto at their forward endsand having holes or openings therein, the movable plates on said beamshaving slots therein, the cultivator-shovels having their Shanksprojected through said holes or openings and slots and provided eachwith a flange or collar and an upper squared end, the holding-platespivotally connected to said movable plates and having square slots forsaid squared ends of said shanks, the adjustable connecting-platesconnected to said beams and movable plates, and means for locking saidconnecting-plates to said draft-bar, substantially as set forth.

et. The herein-described improved cultivator, comprising the draft-barhaving holes or openings therein, the divergent beams pivotallyconnected to said draft-bar and carrying the cultivator-shovels, themovable plates, the holding-plates secured thereto and engaging theshanks of said cultivator-shovels, the connecting-plates pivotallysecured at their outer ends to said beams and movable plates and havinginner-apertured overlapping ends, the locking rod or lever having ahooked end for projecting through said overlapping ends and the holes oropenings of draft-bar, the pivoted handle-bars, and the lever fulcrumedon one of said handle-bars and connected to said locking rod or lever,substantially as set forth.

5. The herein-described improved cultivator, comprising the draft-barhaving holes IOO IIO

i or openings therein, the divergent beams pivdles having spring-heldpawls engaging said toothed portions, and the lever fulcrumed on one ofsaid handle-bars and engaging said r 5 locking rod or lever,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WINFIELD SCOTT MILLER.

Witnesses:

WILLIS E, MILLER, S. N. JOHNSTON.

